Furnace oscillating apparatus



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FURNACE OSC ILLATING APPARATUS Filed April 12, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 a noemtoz r/bur F (558 Sin hi5 atto'wwws Patented Sept. 11, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FURNACE OSCILLATING APPARATUS Connecticut Application April 12, 1932, Serial No. 604,724

9 Claims. (Cl. 263-21) This invention relates to furnace oscillating apparatus and more particularly to oscillating apparatus adapted at times to rock the furnace in regular recurrence through a limited range and at other times selectively to tilt the furnace through a more extensive range at a rate which is under the control of an operator, and has for an object theprovision of improved apparatus of this character.

Certain machines, of which the metal melting furnace illustrated herein may be taken as an example, during certain phases of operation require a more or less sustained rocking movement of a limiled range, for the purpose, for example, of producing circulation of their contents, and during other phases of operation require a more extensive tilting movement, for the purpose, for example, of discharging their contents. The

latter movement may either be in part coinci 2o dental with the rocking movement or entirely independent of the rocking movement, usually the latter.

In metal melting furnaces the rocking movement may be relatively slow and since it is also of a limited range may be produced by a. relatively small power device. The tilting movement, however, should be relatively rapid and since it is of greater magnitude requires a relatively greater power device. Moreover, automatic reversal of movement at the end of each stroke in both directions is desired in the rocking action, whereas non-automatic and controllable movement is ordinarily desired in the tilting action. Having in view the most economical use of power, the most effective control of the movement of parts, the most convenient arrangement of the apparatus and various other constructional and operating factors it has been found advisable to employ two power devices of different characteristics for the two movements under consideration.

With these observations, one exemplary form of apparatus embodying the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the assembled apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a right side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged left side elevation of the oscillating mechanism alone;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the oscillating mechanism shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Figs. 2 and 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section taken on' the line 7-7 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. '7.

The oscillating mechanism may best be understood by first describing the exemplary form of machine which it is adapted to serve.

This machine, (Fig. 1) is a metal melting furnace, comprising two spaced hearths A and B connected by one or more tubular sections C whereby in operation molten pools of metal A1, B1, in the hearths A and B respectively may be joined by a channel C1 of molten metal in the tubular section C. The hearths may be mounted on a rocker frame F, oscillatable on journals 20 supported-in any desired base frame 22.

Thus mounted, the furnace may be oscillated upon its supports 20 about the center 0 to cause metal to flow by the force of gravity through the channel C1 between the pools Al and B1 and, if the furnace be oscillated sufficiently, to cause metal to be poured from the spout opening 24 seen in hearth A. In Fig. l the furnace is shown at the midpoint of a short oscillatory stroke, hereinafter to be referred to as a rocking stroke to distinguish from the greater oscillating stroke for pouring which will be referred to as a "tilting stroke.

Each of the rocker frames F, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is provided with a face pin 28 to which is attached a connecting rod 30 included in the oscillating mechanism now to be described.

Still referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the outer ends of the connecting rods 30 are attached by connecting pins 32 to the ends of rock arms 34 which are rigidly attached to a rock shaft 36 supported in base bearings 38, 39, 40, the latter appearing most clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. Also rigidly attached to the rock shaft 36 or preferably, as seen in Fig. 2, formed integrally with one of the arms 34 as a part of a bell crank lever, is a crank arm 42 actuated by a pitman rod 44 pivoted thereto, the pitman rod 44 in turn being pivotally connected to a crank pin 46 adjustably associated with a crank shaft 48.

' The adjustable connection between the crank pin and the crank shaft 48 may be effected by various constructions. The construction chosen for description herein, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, comprises a face plate 50 formed integral with the end of the shaft 48, the face plate being provided with a. diametral undercut groove 52 along which the stepped slide block 54 bearing the crank threaded through a band 58 encircling the face plate 50. The pitman rod 44 may be retained on the crank pin 46 by a back plate 60 engaging behind a roller bearing assembly 62 while the front end of the crank pin is enclosed by a grease holding cap 64.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4 the crank shaft 48 at its front end is borne by a bearing 66 and at its rear end enters a gear casing 68 where rotation is imparted to it from the shaft 70 of a rocking motor M1, the bearing 66, the gear casing 68 and the motor M1 all being mounted upon a tiltable frame 74 rotatably supported by its bearings 75 on the rock shaft 36.

As shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, the driving connection between the rocking motor shaft 70 and the crank shaft 48 is designed to prevent back drive of the motor from the' crank shaft, hence when the motor is stopped by the electromechanical brake 76 provided for one end of its shaft the crank pin 46 will be securely held in a given position. The motor shaft 70 is keyed-to a worm 78 meshing with a pinion 80 fast on a transverse gear shaft 82 equipped with a worm 84 meshing with a ring gear 86 to which the crank shaft 48 is keyed.

In operation, if the tiltable frame 74 surmounted by the rocking motor M1, gear casing 68 and crank shaft 48 be held in a fixed position, the operation of motor M1 will cause rotation of the crank shaft 48 and through the described connections with the furnace will produce a sustained rocking movement of the furnace, the extent of such rocking movement depending upon the setting of the crank pin 46 with respect to the axis of the crank shaft 48, and the general inclination or zone through which the rocking of the furnace takes place being determined by the position in which the tiltable frame 74 is held. For simplicity it is assumed that the rocking and tilting Fig. 6, the frame 74 is found to be provided with an arcuate rack 100, the base of which may be secured by screws 104 to wing 102 formed integral with the frame 74.

Referring to Fig. 4 in particular but consulting also Figs. 2, 3, 5 and 6, the rack 100 is in mesh with a spur pinion 106 fast on a rack shaft 108 turning in bearings 110 of a fixed base frame generally denoted by the numeral 112. The rack shaft 108 bears a spur gear 114 meshing with a spur pinion 116 which is fast on a jointed shaft 118 extending into a gear casing 120. The shaft 118 is driven by a tilting motor M2 through a train of non-reverse gearing which is in all respects similar to that in the gear casing 68 previously described. This gearing comprises a worm 122 on the shaft 124 of the motor M2, which worm drives a pinion 126 on a transverse gear shaft 128 bearing a worm 130 in mesh with a ring gear 132 keyed to the jointed shaft 118.

The tilting motor M2 is required to produce rapid movement of the furnace while the rocking motor M1 is required to produce only a relatively slow movement of the furnace and that through a relatively small distance, hence the tilting motor is designed to have operating characteristics distinct from the characteristics of the rocking motor. It may be a larger motor of the same speed as the rocking motor if the driving connections are stepped up for speed. As shown, the driving connections are stepped down somewhat so the speed of the tilting motor is proportionately increased. Whatever the connections, it will be usual for the power of the tilting motor to exceed the power of the rocking motor.

The tilting motor like the rocking motor may be equipped with an electro-mechanical brake 134 for stopping the parts in exact position when the power is cut off.

In operation, referring to Fig. 1 and assuming that the rocking motor has been stopped so that the crank pin 46 is held in the position illustrated, actuation of the tilting motor M2 will cause spur gear 114 and spur pinion 106 to rotate clockwise moving (Fig. 5) rack 100 and tiltable frame 74 counter-clockwise to rotate the furnace on its rocker frames F and lower hearth A for pouring from the spout opening 24. The furnace may be returned to original position by reversing the rotation of tilting motor M2, after which the rocking may be resumed by starting up the rocking motor M1.

While the oscillating mechanism has been described particularly with reference to one specific embodiment it is to be understood that various other embodiments and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus of the character described comprising in combination, a melting furnace mounted for oscillatory movement, and meansv for oscillating said furnace, said means comprising a connecting rod attached to the furnace, a bell crank lever having one arm connected to said furnace-attached rod, a pitman rod attached to the other arm of said bell crank lever, a power drive device attached to said pitman rod and normally moving it in timed manner to impart a limited rocking movement to said furnace, means for regulating the extent of the rocking movement, a frame supporting said power drive device, said frame being mounted for swinging movement about a fixed point, an arcuate rack bar rigid with said frame, a pinion meshing with said rack bar, and a second power device for actuating said pinion for swinging said frame and its associated mechanism to tilt said furnace to a greater extent than it is moved by said rocking device.

2. Apparatus of the character described comprising in combination, a melting furnace mounted for oscillatory movement, and means for oscillating said furnace, said means comprising a power drive device operatively connected to said furnace and normally imparting to it a limited rocking movement, a swingable frame supporting said power device, said frame being separate from and independent of the furnace mounting and a second power device operatively connected to said frame for swinging it and its associated mechanism for tilting the furnace to a greater extent than it is moved by said rocking device.

3. Apparatus of the character described comprising in combination, a melting furnace mounted for oscillatory movement, means for normally rocking said furnace through a limited angle, said means comprising a connection for the furnace and a motor mounted upon a swingable frame acting through said connection, and means acting through said swingable frame and said connection for tilting the furnace.

4. Apparatus oi the character described comprising in combination, an oscillatory melting furnace, a link, a lever and a rotary crank connected with said furnace to impart to it a rocking movement corresponding to the throw of said crank, a motor having non-reverse driving connection with said crank, a swingable frame supporting said motor independently of the support for said furnace, and a second motor operatively connected to said frame and acting through it and the link, lever and crank to tilt the furnace.

5. Apparatus oi the character described comprising in combination, an oscillatory vessel for molten metal, a swingable frame mounted separately from and independently of said vessel, means for selectively swinging said frame or holding it in a fixed position and means on said frame for rocking said vessel through a zone of arcuate travel.

7. Apparatus of the character described comprising in combination, an oscillatory vessel for molten metal, a shaft, drive connections between said shaft and said vessel, means for normally and steadily rocking said vessel through a chosen angle by continuous rotation of said shaft, means for holding said shaft in a fixed position, and means for translating said shaft when so held to move said drive connections to tilt said device through an angle.

8. In combination, an oscillatory furnace, means for moving said furnace through a major zone of arcuate travel and means for moving the furnace sustainedly through a minor zone of arcuate travel about the same axis while it is positioned at any place in the major zone, said first means acting through said second means.

9. In oscillating mechanism for metal melting furnaces, in combination, a crank shaft, a crank pin axially adjustable relative to said crank shaft, driving connections between said crank pin and said furnace, means for moving and holding said crank pin in a given adjusted position for moving said furnace through a minor zone of movement, and means for translating said crank shaft and connections bodily for moving the furnace through a major zone of movement.

ARTHUR F. CASE. 

